Congress likely to take on NCP in state legislative council seat

Meanwhile, entrepreneur Ganesh Gaikwad has announced that he would be filing his nomination as an Independent candidate for the seat with the support of MLA Laxman Jagtap of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

WITH THE Congress deciding to contest the legislative council seat from the Pune local authority constituency, a straight fight between the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress is expected as the two have a strong presence in the local civic bodies in the district. The last date of filing nominations is November 2, while voting would take place on November 19 and counting of votes on November 22. The election has been necessitated as the term of the legislator representing the Pune local authority council seat is set to expire on December 5.

The Congress was the first to declare Sanjay Jagtap, the chief of Pune district Congress, as its candidate, instead of forging an alliance with the NCP. The NCP has decided to give the party ticket to sitting MLC Anil Bhosale and he is expected to file his nomination on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, entrepreneur Ganesh Gaikwad has announced that he would be filing his nomination as an Independent candidate for the seat with the support of MLA Laxman Jagtap of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The BJP is reportedly undecided on contesting the seat but has shortlisted sitting corporator Ashok Yenpure as its candidate if the party contests the seat. The NCP holds most of the seats in local civic bodies in the district while the Congress has the second largest number of elected representatives in the civic bodies, which are the voters for the legislative council seat.